American archeologist dies after Viking ship replica capsizes off Norwegian coast

An American archeologist has died after a Viking ship replica capsized off the coast of Norway, authorities said.

A crew of six people sailed on the open boat, called Naddodd, across the North Atlantic from the Faroe Islands to Norway, according to the Norwegian outlet NRK.

On Tuesday night, the team sent a distress signal amid deteriorating weather conditions. The boat then capsized off the coastal town of Stad in Norway. Five of the crew members managed to board an inflatable life raft and were rescued by helicopter, but one woman got trapped beneath the boat and drowned. Her body was recovered on Wednesday.

While authorities did not name the victim, local Norwegian and Faeroese media identified her as 29-year-old Karla Dana from Florida.

Police believe that a strong wave was likely responsible for the ship's downfall, the Associated Press reported on Thursday.

A Viking ship replica, called Naddodd, where it was found after capsizing a day earlier off Norway's coast, on Wednesday.The Norwegian Armed Forces / Coast Guard via AP

A spokesperson for the State Department confirmed the death of a U.S. citizen off the coast of Norway, but declined to provide further details out of respect for the family's privacy.

"We extend our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased," the State Department told NBC News.

A video posted on X by the humanitarian organization Redningsselskapet captured the challenging conditions of rescue efforts, showing heavy rain and strong winds as a rescue boat approached the Viking ship's location.

"We keep an eye on the ship, and do what we can to assist with the salvage, but the weather conditions make it very demanding," the post read in Norwegian. In a subsequent post, the group said that darkness also made their search difficult.

Dana's LinkedIn page describes her as an archeologist and ethnographic field researcher who has studied in a multitude of countries.

In a post a few months ago, Dana had expressed her excitement about the journey.

"Thrilled to be a part of this crew," Dana said, "fearlessly embarking on this Nordic voyage on a Viking ship replica across the North Sea, pushing through physical and mental limits to sail into history."